Project Human Resources

Some say the project team is the most important part of a project. We all know there are many issues and changes that happen during the course of a project, and often the success of the project depends not so much on the number and seriousness of the issues, but rather the team’s ability to deal with them.

To that end, it is important to find, hire, or obtain the best possible project team. It is also important to keep them satisfied, in their career as well as their current position. Most people require challenging work, a successful company, personal career development, and others factors (and some combination thereof) to keep them engaged and satisfied in their current position in your project.

The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) contains a knowledge area called Project Human Resource Management. This knowledge area has four process groups.

Plan Human Resource ManagementThis is the planning phase, whereby project roles and responsibilities are identified. Reporting relationships and organizational charts are determined, and a staffing management plan is created, which is part of the overall project management plan. It can be a stand alone document or a section within the project management plan.

Acquire Project TeamOnce the staffing needs have been identified, the project manager must initiate the acquisition of the project team. Depending on the project it can be a new hire, and employee relocation, or simply obtaining technical resources that are already present in the office. Putting the project team in place is the first major step in the project.

Develop Project TeamTo complete the project successfully, the project team should receive constant attention by the project manager. Team member interaction should be monitored to ensure conflicts are minimized (or dealt with). The team environment and culture should be influenced for maximum productivity, work/life balance, and so forth. Each team member should have access to career development resources to ensure their happiness with their place on the team as well as to acquire the competencies required to complete the project successfully.

Manage Project TeamThroughout the project the team must be managed. Team member performance should be tracked and evaluated regularly to provide feedback and encouragement. Team member roles and responsibilities can be changed to allow team members to move to places they are more productive in (to avoid square pegs in round holes), and to optimize project performance.